Many people are discovering the benefits of joining social
networking sites including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Employers are increasingly aware of these sites and are checking the
online profiles of people who may have social networking
accounts to get a sense of what potential candidates write about
themselves, their interests, philosophies, and their interactions
with family and peers. When an important hiring decision is imminent, employers use all tools at their disposal to ensure that
they are making the best informed hiring decision possible.

Keep this in mind when adding content to your online
profile. There are privacy options that some of these sites have
which restrict viewers of your full profile to those whom you grant
the privilege of free access.

Some people like to be very open in their comments about their work,
their social activities and other interests, submitting pictures and
entering information that could, if accessible to the casual viewer,
cause some employers to hesitate to continue discussions of a
serious nature about a job opportunity with them.

- Any form of online ranting or negative commentary about past or
present
employers, a work history that does not match the resume you
submitted,
photos showing immature tendencies or acts, questionable comments
about race, religion, and the ethnic origins of others, and any other
offensive
online material.

If you are actively seeking a job, expect that an employer may
choose to view your profile as part of the pre-selection process, and
ensure that there is nothing there that could be detrimental to
your chances or create a negative impression of you, your
personality, ethics, and character.

Your profile is how you appear to
the business community at large, colleagues, and superiors. Choose your profile photo carefully. The best photos are portrait shots that show your eyes and a welcoming smile.

Scrubbing your Social Media Content:

There are services that offer to clean up your social media profile/s. One of the best recognized of these services is sociaclean:http://socioclean.comwhich is noted by leading organizations such as Time, CNN, and CBS News.

Through careful monitoring of your social media, you avoid being blindsided by inappropriate content you've posted.